Tour operators have reductions of around a 3rd on many peak summer holidays, as they try and woo back post-pandemic customers. But Britain’s leading travel company, TUI, warns that the most affordable holidays may not last long if higher fuel costs and other types of inflation need to be taken into consideration later within the 12 months.
The clear message is: there isn’t a must sacrifice your summer holiday plans… but don’t loaf around. With this in mind, we’ve checked out what’s on offer and picked 30 of one of the best package holidays covering the summer period. We’ve sorted them into three categories to suit different budgets: under £600 per person for seven nights, under £800pp and under £1,200pp – and thrown in some long-haul bargains for lower than £1,200 for per week, too. All prices have flights and accommodation included.
By booking a package holiday you will probably be protected under the Package Travel Regulations and due a full refund inside 14 days within the – let’s hope – unlikely event of a cancellation. So here’s our round-up, starting from £183pp per week in Corfu to £1,199pp in Mauritius.
This chart show that it’s Marmaris in Turkey that provides the most affordable prices for holidaymakers in Europe
UNDER £600 A WEEK
TEMPTING TENERIFE
Stay on the Colon II Apartments in Playa de las Americas in Tenerife and luxuriate in the long curving pool in addition to being near restaurants and bars within the centre of the resort. Studio rooms are compact but include nice balconies or terraces.
Tips on how to do it: From £508pp self-catering in July for per week including Manchester flights and transfers – 37 per cent off (tui.co.uk).
CORFU FOR A SONG
Through Tui it’s possible to book per week in Corfu (pictured) for just £183pp B&B, including flights and transfers
The family-run Hotel Theo is about within the resort of Agios Georgios North, only a ten-minute stroll from a Blue Flag beach and charming village. The hotel has a big outdoor pool at its rear and offers traditional home-cooked cuisine.
Tips on how to do it: £183pp B&B in May for per week including Cardiff flights and transfers – 68 per cent off (tui.co.uk).
KOS IT’S CHEAP
On the sting of the attractive hillside town of Kefalos on the Dodecanese island of Kos in Greece, the Peros Mayflower apartments are in a quiet spot. There’s somewhat pool bar, plus a restaurant. Rooms are plainly decorated and comfy, with balconies.
Tips on how to do it: From £374pp self-catering in July for per week, with flights from Leeds Bradford and transfers (jet2holidays.com).
HOT TURKEY
Only a ten-minute drive from the superb sandy beaches of Olu Deniz on Turkey’s south-west coast, the Green Valley Hotel offers exceptionally good value rooms, plus a big pool and peaceful setting surrounded by hills. Temperatures usually touch 30c in July.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £297pp B&B, with Luton flights and transfers in July (thomascook.com).
Seville (above) in Andalucia makes a wonderful base for an extended city break
SEVILLE SAVINGS
Seville in Andalucia makes a wonderful base for an extended city break with its limitless tapas bars, splendid cathedral, Alcazar (an old Moorish palace) and lots of first-class flamenco shows.
Rent a room for per week on the comfortable Hotel Sevilla Center, which has a rooftop pool, and slip into southern Spanish life.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £416pp room-only in July with Gatwick flights (easyjet.com).
RHODES FOR LESS
Enjoy a stay at one in all the colorful Marietta Apartments within the quiet village of Pastida for a knockdown price this summer. The apartments surround a decent-sized pool with a restaurant overlooking the water. The busy nightlife of Faliraki and Rhodes Town is a brief drive away.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £449pp self-catering in July, with Manchester flights and transfers (jet2holidays.com).
MAKE IT MAJORCA
Alcudia is a peaceful town with medieval partitions and narrow, labyrinthine streets within the north of Majorca. Prices in late June are a 3rd off at the brilliant and breezy, family-friendly Bellevue Club hotel, which comes with eight pools and is a 15-minute walk from the beach.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £237pp self-catering including Manchester flights. To upgrade to half-board is just £50pp extra (firstchoice.co.uk).
MARVELLOUS MOROCCO
Check in to the TUI BLUE Riu Tikida Beach spa hotel near Agadir and Taghazout on Morocco’s south-west coast and luxuriate in as much as 37 per cent off in July. There are two large pools, a shuttle to a neighborhood golf course and a gym at this popular hotel for couples.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £554pp all-inclusive in July with Gatwick flights and transfers (tui.co.uk).
GREAT VALUE SPAIN
The Costa de Almeria is commonly missed, so there are usually good deals available. Stay on the beachside Best Sabinal hotel in Roquetas de Mar, with its huge pool, spa and rooms facing the ocean. There are many good restaurants and bars close by.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights with Gatwick flights and transfers from £571pp room-only in July (easyjet.com).
NOT DEAR IN MADEIRA
Bargain hunters can snare a seven-night holiday in Madeira with flights for £495pp, staying at Dom Pedro Madeira Hotel at Machico Bay (above)
Dom Pedro Madeira Hotel is at Machico Bay on Madeira, on the east coast of Portugal’s charming Atlantic Ocean island. It’s an awesome base for walking trips and it’s only a 50-yard stroll to a white-sand beach. There’s an enormous pool and a comfortable cocktail bar.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights with Stansted flights from £495pp B&B in July (thomascook.com).
TUSCAN TREAT
Stay in style on the Renaissance Tuscany II Ciocco Resort and Spa, set on a hilltop in rolling Tuscan countryside, for a steal in August. Enjoy views of Italy’s Apennine Mountains, visit local vineyards and check out out the restaurants within the nearby medieval town of Barga.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £490pp with UK flights in August (expedia.co.uk).
UNDER £800 A WEEK
CYPRUS DEAL
Elias Beach Hotel faces a sandy beach near town of Limassol (above) on the southern coast of Cyprus. You’ll be able to stay there for seven nights in July from £719pp full-board with Stansted flights included
Elias Beach Hotel faces a sandy beach near town of Limassol on the southern coast of Cyprus. There’s also a pool set in pretty gardens, plus a spa offering massages and facials. Tempting full-board offers can be found this summer.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £719pp full-board with Stansted flights in July (mercuryholidays.co.uk).
EGYPT FOR A SONG
There are seven pools and 6 bars (including a swim-up bar) on the Grand Waterworld Makadi Hotel overlooking the Red Sea in Egypt. It is a family-friendly selection with waterslides and a synthetic wave machine for learning to surf.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights for a family of 4 from £676pp all-inclusive (a complete of £2,704) with Gatwick flights (redseaholidays.co.uk).
LA GOMERA OFFER
A ferry crossing from Tenerife to the smaller Canary island of La Gomera, simply to the west, is included in package prices for stays at Hotel Jardin Tecina, on a peaceful stretch of La Gomera’s coastline. The hotel has a choice of pools, a spa and its very own golf course.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £799pp half-board with Luton flights and transfers in July (fredholidays.co.uk).
CUT-PRICE PORTUGAL
Book into the Velamar Boutique Hotel in Albufeira on Portugal’s Algarve coast to benefit from the nearby golden sands or loosen up on a lounger by its little kidney-shaped pool. Rooms are minimalist in style, with the occasional splash of contemporary art.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights with Edinburgh flights from £756pp B&B in August — 29 per cent off (jet2holidays.com).
FUN IN FUERTEVENTURA
With two pools, a gym, a spa, windsurfing and sailing, Barcelo Corralejo Sands suits sporty types. It’s a brief walk from a beach and two miles from Dunas de Corralejo Natural Park. There are some enticing half-board offers this summer.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £684pp half-board with Gatwick flights at the tip of June (tui.co.uk).
COUNT ON KALKAN
The Samira Resort Hotel and Apartments in Kalkan on Turkey’s south-west coast has an enormous pool with a cocktail waiter service. The tavernas and restaurants of the centre of Kalkan are a ten-minute stroll away. Rooms are clean and modern.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £614pp B&B with Glasgow flights on June 30 (firstchoice.co.uk).
BENIDORM BARGAIN
Benidorm’s concrete tower blocks might not be for everybody, but for individuals who benefit from the resort’s brash style, loads of bargains are available. The Presidente is one in all the massive hotels, based around a big pool with a bar. Rooms are large and comfy.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £692pp half-board with Manchester flights and transfers in July (travelrepublic.co.uk).
BALEARIC GETAWAY
The JS Miramar hotel is by the beach at Can Picafort (above) on Majorca. Easyjet has a seven-night deal for a vacation there from £682pp
Fly from Belfast on EasyJet in the summertime and book a room through its sister company, EasyJet Holidays, to maintain costs down. The JS Miramar hotel is by the beach at Can Picafort on Majorca, with vibrant rooms with balconies. Bikes might be hired for exploring the coast.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £682pp half-board with Belfast flights in July (easyjet.com).
A CORKER IN MENORCA
Surrounded by pretty gardens, the MenorcaMar Apartments make a nice spot to remain on Menorca; they’re rated by Thomas Cook as one of the best value accommodation within the little beach resort of Cala en Bosc. There’s a captivating pool with a snack bar on the centre.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £649pp self-catering with Luton flights in July (thomascook.com).
UNDER £1,200 A WEEK
GRAN CANARIA IN STYLE
Tucked away by Playa Taurito on a quiet stretch of Gran Canaria’s south-west coast, the TUI BLUE Suite Princess has comfortable rooms decorated with modern art. Best rooms have balconies facing the ocean. There’s an enormous pool and a spa with a sauna.
Tips on how to do it: From £851pp all-inclusive with Newcastle flights in July (tui.co.uk).
£500 OFF IN MAGALUF
Tropical Sky Europe has slashed £500pp off the worth of seven-night stays in July and August on the Dreams Calvia Resort and Spa. It’s by a beach and 150 metres from the centre of the favored (and sometimes quite energetic) resort. There’s an Asian fusion restaurant and a burger bar.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £979pp in August with Gatwick flights and transfers (tropicalsky.co.uk).
LOVELY LANZAROTE
Book a family room at Seaside Los Jameos Hotel in Lanzarote (above) and one child travels free in July
Book a family room at Seaside Los Jameos Hotel in Lanzarote and one child travels free in July. It’s a part of the Luxe Collection offered by Jet2Holidays and comes with a wonderful pool and spa, plus tennis courts and a mini-golf course. It’s also beside a superb sandy beach.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £870pp B&B for a family of 4 (or £2,610 per family, with kids aged 2-12) with flights from Leeds Bradford in July (jet2holidays.com).
60% OFF RHINE CRUISE
Grab a cabin on Avalon Waterways’ week-long Romantic Rhine with Amsterdam and Strasbourg sailing departing in July and save £1,712pp. The cruise departs from Amsterdam and calls at Cologne, Strasbourg and Mainz, ending in Basel, with excursions at each port.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £1,159pp full-board, with drinks with meals, and flights from airports across the UK on July 10; 60 per cent off (cruise.co.uk).
GLORIOUS GREECE
Olympic Holidays, the Greek travel specialist, has reduced the associated fee of stays on the plush Marpunta Resort, on the island of Alonissos within the Northern Sporades, by 1 / 4 this July.
It’s a peaceful hotel with rooms scattered amongst buildings based on fishermen’s cottages.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £989pp B&B with Luton flights on July 4 (olympicholidays.com).
SAVE IN SORRENTO
Bask in per week’s stay on the Imperial Hotel Tramontano, once a favorite haunt of 18th and Nineteenth-century grand tourists including the poets Shelley, Byron and Keats. Rest by the tranquil pool, take a stroll around the luxurious gardens, or sip a limoncello on the terrace bar.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights from £1,150pp B&B with Gatwick flights this summer (citalia.com).
… and far-flung favourites under £1,200
MAGICAL MAURITIUS
Bluebaytravel.co.uk is offering seven nights in Mauritius at Coral Azur Beach Resort, near Trou aux Biches beach (above), from £1,199pp all-inclusive with Heathrow flights and transfers
Enjoy a rum punch or two because the sun sets across the Caribbean while staying on the good-value Timothy Beach Resort in the center of Frigate Bay on St Kitts (above)
Set in tropical gardens near the beaches of Mont Choisy and Trou aux Biches, Coral Azur Beach Resort is home to Wildwind, the one sailing centre within the Indian Ocean that’s approved by the Royal Yachting Association. Expect superb dining and luxurious rooms.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights in July from £1,199pp all-inclusive with Heathrow flights and transfers, plus an upgrade to an ocean-view room and a free spa treatment (bluebaytravel.co.uk).
TAKING THE MICKEY
See Mickey Mouse at Disney World and visit the various other theme parks in Orlando, Florida. Base yourself on the Ramada by Wyndham Kissimmee Gateway hotel, which has a pool and a Smokehouse Grill restaurant.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights in July from £789pp room-only with Gatwick flights (britishairways.com/orlando).
CARIBBEAN DREAM
Enjoy a rum punch or two because the sun sets across the Caribbean while staying on the good-value Timothy Beach Resort in the center of Frigate Bay on St Kitts. The resort is true by a golden sandy beach and has its own pool.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights in July from £806pp with Gatwick flights (britishairwaysholidays.com/kitts).
FIVE-STAR THAILAND
Push the boat out on the five-star Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort And Spa next to Karon Beach on the Thai island. It’s in a peaceful spot with great sunsets, but in addition inside walking distance of the realm’s busy bars and restaurants.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights in July from £1,124pp B&B in a deluxe plus garden view room with Gatwick flights and transfers (travelzoo.com).
TOBAGO FOR ALL
Loosen up by the white sandy beach of the welcoming — and sporty — Magdalena Grand Beach And Golf Resort in Tobago for a bargain this summer.
It offers a variety of activities, with tennis courts, championship 18-hole golf course, spa, two swimming pools and a nature trail so you may go on hikes. Perfect for energetic souls in addition to those that just wish to loosen up.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights in July from £1,169pp B&B with Gatwick flights (britishairways.com/tobago).
DON’T MISS THE UAE
Stay on the Hampton by Hilton Marjan Island hotel in Ras Al Khaimah, within the United Arab Emirates, and luxuriate in 25 per cent off in August — all-inclusive.
It incorporates a pool, a captivating restaurant and, crucially, air-con: the common every day temperature is 35c, with highs touching 39c.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights in August from £1,149pp all-inclusive with Heathrow flights (britishairways.com/dubai).
CUT-PRICE CAPE
Firstchoice.co.uk is offering seven nights in Boa Vista (above), a part of the Cape Verde archipelago, in August from £917pp all-inclusive with Manchester flights
Get away from all of it by jetting off to the tropical islands of Cape Verde in the course of the Atlantic Ocean — without it costing a packet.
The family-friendly Hotel Riu Touareg in Boa Vista has pools facing a white sandy beach, plus tennis courts and a gym.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights in August from £917pp all-inclusive with Manchester flights (firstchoice.co.uk).
OFF TO ABU DHABI
The Radisson Blu Hotel And Resort in Abu Dhabi is plush and modern with nine restaurants, a health club and a pool with a waterslide. There’s a bar on the nearby beach, in addition to a swim-up pool bar.
Tips on how to do it: Seven nights in July from £1,100pp half-board including Gatwick flights (travelrepublic.co.uk).
ORLANDO WONDERS
Margaritaville Resort in Orlando, Florida, is just minutes away from Disney World, and shut to Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld, too. It’s a fun, party-orientated place (because the name suggests), with live music and the Salty Rim bar.
Tips on how to do it: A family of 4 can stay for seven nights in July from £1,049pp (or £4,196 in total for a family with children aged two to 17) with Gatwick flights (ba.com).
Note: Remember to ascertain the most recent Covid entry requirements for every country by visiting gov.uk.
